Electric cars

[Jocko]

Sounds great. If it is successful the motor industry will sh!t a brick. Wonder how much a change would cost. And whether the driver will be able to change it or need a technician to do it.

[Jocko]

Funny only the Mail has the story. Aluminium - Air cells are not new. It would appear that the secret here is a new electrolyte.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium%E2%80%93air_battery

[Jocko]

It would appear the government are looking at green, or green tagged number plates, for electric cars, with a view to allowing cheaper parking, bus lane use, and other incentives for motorists to change to electric vehicles. Hope they are better policed than the current dodgy number plates or we will all be getting green ones!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50122268

[madasafish]

Don't buy an Audi EV if this long term test is typical:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/e-tron/long-term-reviews/audi-e-tron-55-quattro-2019-long-term-review

[Jocko]

It is hardly a damming report of the EV aspects. The adaptive cruise control issue seems to relate to other Audis, not just EVs. And Those four days of E-tron deprivation made me realise just how much I prefer driving EVs these days – especially one as comfortable and refined as the big Audi. While I’ll never turn down a chance to drive something particularly exciting, such as a Porsche 911 GT3, most conventionally powered cars feel like dinosaurs in comparison with the E-tron. says a lot from a guy who drives cars for a living.

[sparky Paul]

Don't buy an Audi EV if this long term test is typical:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/e-tron/long-term-reviews/audi-e-tron-55-quattro-2019-long-term-review

I tend to buy cars which are out of warranty, and the complexity of some of these modern vehicles, both ICE and electric, is seriously scary. Couple that with the current VAG reliability problems, and you're in trouble.

I wonder what all this technological advancement will mean for longer term residuals. Imagine battling these sorts of issues as these cars get to 5-10 years old, some of those warranty claims in the review will have been seriously expensive.

I might have ended up on the bus... if they hadn't cut the service we have down to zero.

[culzean]

I seriously think that the 'repair' of EV will come down to the replacement of big chunks rather than component level repairs.  'Sorry mate' your inverter is FUBAR,  need to replace it, that will be £10,000 please' - 'sorry mate the regen module has failed,  £8,000 please'.... ' you need a replacement battery, we have some repaired ones that have had the known bad cells replaced but there could still be some cells in there that may fail soon'...  If we are lucky we will get some money back for the old parts - like a service exchange scheme, but don't hold your breath. 

[madasafish]

The good news: lots of EVs will be broken for parts...

Prius hybrid inverters on ebay  £120 to £250...

[sparky Paul]

it's not just the cost of parts, replacing (and re-programming) parts is sometimes a technological feat in itself these days. Without the required diagnostic tools, you are completely dead in the water.

It reminds of one of the first times I came across this issue with a Renault hand brake motor which has to be programmed to the car. It's only one time programmable, so mechanically good used parts were useless. Now, we can replace the surface mount eprom inside the box with a new eprom programmed with blank coded firmware, but what a palaver.

[richardfrost]

Don't buy an Audi EV if this long term test is typical:
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/e-tron/long-term-reviews/audi-e-tron-55-quattro-2019-long-term-review

I tend to buy cars which are out of warranty, and the complexity of some of these modern vehicles, both ICE and electric, is seriously scary. Couple that with the current VAG reliability problems, and you're in trouble.

I wonder what all this technological advancement will mean for longer term residuals. Imagine battling these sorts of issues as these cars get to 5-10 years old, some of those warranty claims in the review will have been seriously expensive.

I might have ended up on the bus... if they hadn't cut the service we have down to zero.

The future is leasing and short term rental. It’s a way off though and the journey from here to there is not an easy one. I must admit, as my car has two years of its 5 year warranty remaining, I am wondering what’s next. The first test will be Toyota’s response to my TPMS valve spontaneously breaking in half giving me an instant flat. I see this as a warranty replacement. Simple. If they see it as a £100 spare then we may be parting ways earlier than 8 had planned.

[Jocko]

Government is looking at making Leasing less attractive to dealers and preventing the motorist getting ripped off. Wonder just what the future of private leasing is.

[Jocko]

Tesla stock jumps on a surprise quarterly profit. This seems to be down to manufacturing at its Shanghai factory being ahead of schedule.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tesla-results/tesla-posts-surprise-quarterly-profit-on-record-deliveries-shares-jump-idUSKBN1X22MZ

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50159963

[peteo48]

Couple of snippets I've seen recently.

1) An article in the business section of the "i" arguing that China was making huge strides in the development of EVs and battery production. The author predicted that the effects of this, long term, might be more significant than Brexit. Seemed to think that UK and European car production may end in time.

2) Government proposals to issue EVs with green number plates which would allow them access to bus lanes and free parking in certain places.

Oh, and to round things off, just seen an electric ambulance in Warrington. Probably more of a paramedic vehicle - based on the BMW EV (the i3 I think).

[Jocko]

China is so committed to EVs and EV production that I am sure they will become the dominant manufacturing base for the future. I don't really fancy a Chinese made car, but 40 years ago I wouldn't have considered a Japanese made car.
And lets face it, Dacia cars sell well here!

[Jocko]

Who says electric cars are not for everyone?